Southampton, NY Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)

Chief of Police, Chief Fire Marshal, and the Town Planning and Development Administrator review every filming permit application, and applications must be filed with the Town Clerk at least 20 days before filming under § 162-2B(1). But § 162-4A carves out street closures specifically: "Authorization of the Town Board shall be required if any Town highway or street is to be closed for the filming." That means the Town Board, Supervisor plus four members, must separately approve the closure on top of the Fire Marshal or Police review used for ordinary applications, and the Chief Fire Marshal or Chief of Police may also ask the Planning Board or the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty for an advisory report under the same subsection.

Section 162-2A(2) exempts only very small shoots, 25 or fewer cast and crew, three days or fewer, that do not obstruct any public roadway or sidewalk; the moment a production needs to block a Town street it loses that exemption and needs both the underlying permit and Town Board sign-off. Applicants pay a fee set by Town Board resolution under § 162-5 and, per § 162-3B, can be billed for added police protection and public works costs the closure requires. Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000/$2,000,000 naming the Town as additional insured (§ 162-3A) and, where required, a security instrument to guarantee cleanup (§ 162-3C) must be in place before either the permit or the closure is approved.